The present invention relates to a mounting structure and regulator for power window apparatuses incorporated in doors of vehicles.
As shown in FIG. 16, a door of a prior art vehicle incorporates a power window apparatus 51. A left door having a door body 52 and a door trim 53 is illustrated in FIG. 16. The door body 52 includes an outer panel 54, which forms the outer surface of a vehicle body, and an inner panel 55, which is separated from the outer panel 54 by a predetermined distance. A slit 71 through which a window glass moves in and out extends between the upper portion of the panels 54, 55. The inner door trim 53 is fixed to the inner panel 55 and forms part of a passenger compartment. A power window apparatus 51 is arranged between the outer panel 54 and the inner panel 55.
A typical power window apparatus 51 has an X-arm type regulator 56 and a motor 57 for driving the regulator. The regulator 56 includes a base 58, a sector gear 59 pivotally supported by the base 58, and a movable arm 60 connected to the sector gear 59.
The power window apparatus 51 will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. A motor 57, which has a main body 61 and an output portion 62, is fixed to the base 58. The output portion 62 has a resin housing 63 and a cover 72 for covering the housing 63. The housing 63 has three mounting bores 63a. A metal column 64 is fixed in each mounting bore 63a. A through bore 58a (FIG. 18) extends through the base 58 in correspondence with each mounting bore 63a. A bolt 65 is inserted through the bore 58a and screwed into the column 64 to fasten the motor 57 to the base 58.
The main body 61 includes a rotary shaft (not shown), on which a worm (not shown) is provided at the distal end. The worm is meshed with a worm wheel 66, which is rotatably supported in the housing 63 of the output portion 62. The worm wheel 66 is connected to an output shaft 69 by means of a rubber cushion 67 and a steel plate 68. A gear 70, which meshes with the sector gear 59, is fixed to the output shaft 69.
The base 58 has a bearing bore 58b formed at a position corresponding to the output shaft 69. The bearing bore 58b rotatably supports the distal end of the output shaft 69 when the motor 57 is fixed to the base 58.
As shown in FIG. 16, the power window apparatus 51 is inserted through an opening 55a, which is formed in the inner panel 55, and arranged in the space between the outer panel 54 and the inner panel 55. The base 58 is then secured to the inner panel 55. The movable arm 60 of the power window apparatus 51 is fixed to the lower end of the window glass. The lower end of the window glass is inserted through the slit 71, which extends between the outer panel 54 and the inner panel 55, to be fixed to the movable arm 60. The sector gear 59 of the regulator 56 is pivoted when the motor 57 is driven. The pivoting of the sector gear 59 moves the movable arm 60 vertically. The vertical movement of the movable arm opens and closes the window.
However, foreign materials, such as rainwater, sometimes enter the slit 71 between the outer panel 54 and the inner panel 55. In such cases, the power window apparatus 51 is exposed to the rainwater. Accordingly, the motor 57 must be waterproof to be protected from the rainwater. Thus, a Butyl rubber piece is adhered to the portion where the housing 63 and the cover 72 are connected to each other or a waterproof electric circuit (e.g., wires and connectors) is employed to make the motor 57 waterproof. Furthermore, the housing 63 of the main body 61 usually has a ventilation hole to prevent the pressure in the housing 63 from becoming negative. Therefore, a breather pipe is employed to prevent water from entering the ventilation hole. Accordingly, making the motor 57 waterproof increases the production costs of the motor 57 and the power window apparatus 51.
The mounting of a regulator 87 and a drive motor 88 to an inner panel 85 also has a shortcoming. A structure for mounting the regulator 87 and the drive motor 88, which are employed in a right door, will now be described with a reference to FIG. 19.
The proximal end of a spiral spring 95 is fixed to a rotary shaft 91, which is provided on a base 89. The distal end of the spiral spring 95 is hooked to a hooking portion 89g to apply an elastic force to an arm 90 in the counterclockwise direction, as viewed in the drawing.
When the motor 88 is secured to the base 89, an output gear 99 meshes with a sector gear 94. An output portion 100 of the motor 88 is decelerated by a worm and a worm gear. Therefore, the motor 88 is not rotated even if the normal elastic force of the spiral spring 95 acts on the output gear 99. However, removal of the motor 88 disengages the output gear 99 from the sector gear 94 and pivots the arm 90 with force. Thus, the removal must be performed with care. In addition, the removal is burdensome since the removal takes place in the space between the inner panel 85 and a door trim 83, which is out of sight. This decreases efficiency during installation of the regulator 87 and the drive motor 88.